Framing flexible sheet material, such as a piece of artwork, has long been known. However, flexible sheet material frames which are collapsible and allow for easy storage and transport are much less common in the art. Such devices typically provide limited protection to a sheet and limited ability to construct and deconstruct, or cause damage to the sheet itself. This damage means that the sheet cannot be used a second time in a different frame and/or that the sheet will lose value.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,647 to Farris and U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,009 to Hahn teach apparatuses for holding or displaying a sheet-like item such as a poster. First and second generally identical members extend longitudinally on opposite sides of the poster. However, other than the top and bottom side of the sheet-like item, the item is not protected. For example, sheer forces extending diagonally or transverse to the top and bottom members will cause the sheet to rip. The weight of the bottom member may make the sheet more likely to tear as it exerts a constant weight on the sheet when, for example, the device is hung on a wall for display. Front and back protection of the sheet has also not been disclosed, and the items cannot be adapted for embodiments other than hanging in a top-bottom or bottom-top orientation.
Other collapsible picture frames known in the art may be expensive to manufacture and procure and contain many pieces which may easily be lost. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,669,209 and 4,987,013, both to Pollack, provide protection on at least four sides of a sheet such as a picture, but require at least eight pieces to produce the frame, including four sides and four corners, and require a plethora of steps to configure. Further, such frames are difficult to package or ship with a sheet itself, which necessitates packaging in separate packages or using extra material to prevent damage of a sheet by a piece of the frame.
Still other frames, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,017 to Pounds, not only require a plethora of pieces and carry the disadvantages of the above-described references, but all damage the sheet-like item by requiring holes to be pierced in the item. This is often not acceptable, such as with an expensive piece of art work, or when electronics are involved and a hole will reduce their functionality.
Thus, there has been a long-felt and unsolved need to provide a framing device which is simple to manufacture, easy to procure, has a small number of pieces, can be safely shipped with a sheet such as a piece of art, and is adaptable to provide protection to the sheet on at least four sides, but, preferably, also on the front and back.